1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer systems and more particularly to mechanisms and techniques for dynamically managing the clock speed of a microprocessor to enable a computer system to run at an optimal clock frequency without over-heating.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
The frequency of a microprocessor clock signal is an important determinant with respect to the overall performance of a computer system. In general, as the speed of the microprocessor clock signal increases, the time required to execute various instructions decreases. Thus, microprocessors having relatively high internal clock frequencies are desirable for high performance and computational intensive applications.
Unfortunately, the frequency at which a microprocessor clock signal may be driven is limited. In general, as the frequency of the microprocessor clock signal is increased, the amount of heat generated by the microprocessor circuit also increases. If the temperature of the microprocessor chip exceeds a certain threshold, failures may occur. Thus, manufactures typically rate a microprocessor to run at a pre-determined maximum frequency during which the system is guaranteed to operate properly. This pre-determined maximum frequency is usually specified to account for worst-case conditions including worst-case ambient temperatures. Unfortunately, since a microprocessor is typically not operated under worst-case conditions, the performance of the microprocessor is usually not optimized when it is operating at the maximum rated frequency. As a result, the overall performance of the computer system may be degraded.